AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 148
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Maria : Mebius World Online
Ouren/Yuuzen : I Was a Small Fish
Episode 12-5
On the 35th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, we were walking along the highway after leaving the dungeon “Old City Underground Catacombs.”
Since we started our activities early in the morning, it was still morning now.
“How about it, Naoya? Did you find any business ideas?”
“Hmm, well, I’ve got a few candidates. I’ll think them over once we get back.”
“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it.”
I didn’t go to the dungeon just to try something that feels “otherworldly.” It was to simulate an adventurer’s daily life and find products that might sell well.
“LED lanterns or flashlights as magic tools for light, tents, chairs, camping gear, portable stoves, ready-to-eat foods, and rations seem like they’d sell well.”
“Whoa! I can’t believe you came up with so many ideas after such a short dungeon experience! Aion employees really are amazing!”
“Stop it, Chloe, anyone would think of this much, I think. Oh, and winter gear or backpacks might sell well, too.”
“Hm? Aren’t those things already available in the nearest town or port city?”
“Yeah, I know. But the quality of goods from my original world is completely different.”
True, the nearby town and port city looked fairly developed at first glance. This world has magic and magical tools, so some things here are more convenient.
Clothing trends and shapes differ by race, so daily wear or fashion would be tough to sell. But if it’s specialized functional clothing, it should work. After all, this world doesn’t have synthetic fibers. There are mysterious products made from monsters, though.
“Still, yeah, we did gain something. Going to the dungeon was worth it.”
“Indeed, it’s good to hear that! So, Naoya, how about continuing to explore dungeons regularly—”
“…If they’re dungeons without undead.”
“Naoya-san? The Aion Mall Otherworldly Store also has undead employees, you know?”
“Well, that’s different. They’re employees, they keep their distance at night, and at least they don’t ambush me or try to attack.”
“A-att-attack?! W-wait, Naoya, do you mean you prefer being attacked? Like, ‘Ugh, what are you planning to do to me? N-not there!’ or something? How scandalous!”
“Chloe, I literally just said I don’t want to be attacked. How did you get the opposite idea?”
“So, then you prefer being the one to attack!? Like, ‘Alright then, I’m gonna have some fun,’ with a smug grin! ‘Argh, kill me!’”
“That’s not it, Chloe. This is a bit much for the morning.”
Chloe waved her hands frantically, her face red, while Anna-san chuckled. The Skeleton Captain, fully armored in plate mail, clanged as he turned, and a ghost peeked out from under his cloak, tilting its head—or whatever might pass for one.
“Come to think of it, you don’t really make much money in dungeons, huh? There wasn’t much treasure, and… mana stones? They probably don’t sell for much at that size.”
“Indeed! That’s why the ‘Old City Underground Catacombs’ is an unpopular dungeon! Even if it’s bad luck, if it were profitable, some adventurers would brave it!”
“Huh, I see. So, it’s not just that we didn’t find much.”
“Though it was on the low end, yes. We purified everything, even destroying the armor and weapons. Though they were low-quality and wouldn’t fetch much, it would still have been some money.”
“Oh, right. If we hadn’t purified them, we could’ve taken the weapons and armor back. Cheap because they’re beat up, but still something.”
“And it wasn’t a complete loss, you know?”
“…Oh, right. Anna-san got to fulfill a wish, and we purified some undead for her.”
“Yes. That’s not all, though.”
“…Huh?”
Anna-san looked back at me with a satisfied smile. The Skeleton Captain stood beside her, proudly thumping his chest. The ghost tilted its head again, probably clueless.
Come to think of it, even in the morning sunlight, the ghost is still fine. Well, it’s a Wraith, not a regular ghost, after all. Ordinary ghosts are supposed to be weak to sunlight—like the one under the Captain’s cloak.
“…Wait a minute.”
I rubbed my eyes. Another ghost was peeking out from under the Skeleton Captain’s cloak near his shoulder. I glanced at his stomach and saw another ghost peek out briefly before vanishing.
A regular ghost that’s supposed to be weak to sunlight? Besides the one from the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, is there… another one?
“…Hasn’t their number increased?”
“Yes. While I was praying in the cemetery of the Old City, I found one who wanted to work.”
“Ohh, a new employee! That’s great, Naoya! You keep saying you need more staff to meet the one billion yen monthly sales target!”
“It seems it has no connection to the former city but is just really curious.”
Anna-san smiled gently as she gazed at the Skeleton Captain’s abdomen. The black mist, or rather the ghost, peeked out briefly and then retreated again, perhaps out of curiosity even though the sunlight should bother it.
It seems that the ghost is a newcomer.
By the way, while I may be the manager, I don’t have any say over the personnel decisions regarding Anna-san’s undead team. After all, I only pay her salary.
I see… so it’s possible for the number of undead working at our store to increase like this. She did confirm their will before purifying them. The conditions were harsh enough to make even a black company look soft, so I never thought anyone—well, anything—would actually agree. But then, this is another world, after all.
I looked up at the sky, taking a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Then, I clutched my head.
“Ohhhh! I knew she was trying to recruit them, but I thought they’d all choose to move on! I let my guard down!”
On the 35th day since becoming the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, it appears I’ve somehow gained another employee without realizing it.
Well… I suppose it’s too late to fuss over it. I still don’t have a complete handle on the whole team—apron-wearing undead, the undead squad, costumed ghosts, and various other undead types.
Yeah, it’s way too late for that. Let’s just say we have another staff member who can work 24/7, year-round.
Yep.
I forced myself to accept it. Decided to accept it, at least.
Otherwise, I’d never survive as a store manager in another world! That’s just how it is!